is the Weather Channel or CNN, etc. exaggerating the hurricane

[senior citizen]

Just wondering if anyone else felt that the Weather Channel, CNN , etc., etc. were slightly exaggerating the tropical storm / hurricane.

One minute we read the red banner online that it was a hurricane and then they changed it to a tropical storm........on t.v. they are saying how bad it is but nothing is actually falling or blowing in the background............it looks pretty quiet.

We've heard that Fort Myers Beach is being evacuated?

That all flights into and out of Miami are cancelled?

How is the weather in Lady Lake area????????

We realize that often they can change course or pick up steam over warm water.........but the news people seem to be blowing it out of proportion.
Thanks........

[ugotme]

Some forecasters tend to over exaggerate. I believe most seem to err on the side of caution. I am in So. Fl. and boarded up. We have gotten some bursts of heavy rains and some winds but nothing like we thought. A lot of flights out of Miami have been cancelled.

[Taltarzac725]

They often do this. We were in the bulleye's of all the 2004 hurricanes at one time or another when we lived in Palm Harbor, FL. Palm Harbor is between Tarpon Springs and Clearwater, FL on the Gulf Coast. We only got the tail end of one of these storms.

Better safe than sorry.

The science is just not there for them to really get an accurate prediction on where a storm will go outside of 48 hours or so; unless the weather patterns are very predictable in that area.

[pooh]

It's not too bad here in Caroline. Every once in a while a gust of wind and a small rain shower, but pretty quiet.
Our problems may arise tonight, overnight and tomorrow. Florida is on the eastern side of the storm....and that side has more rain and the potential for rotational storms, tornadoes. Once the storm enters the Gulf, who knows what will happen, the water is warm and Issac can pick up speed. Tampa could be impacted early tomorrow...storm surge, which can impact sea level buildings surrounding the bay.
The people at TWC do seem to stress more negative than positive, but with storms, it's better to be prepared than to not be.

[goodgrief]

Well right now we're okay some rain on and off. Hearing some thunder to the south. Suppose to pick up in wind and rain tonight. 30 mph winds and 3-5 inches of rain expected tonight into tomorrow. (last info I saw earlier today on the local) The bands are just starting to come up this way. Yeah did see Miami transit and stuff shut down midday but they are getting that right side of the storm as it comes through the straits, I would think they're getting it worse than we will. But they are expecting weather here.

[janmcn]

A state of emergency has just been declared in New Orleans. If Isaac continues on its projected path, it could arrive in NO on the anniversary of Katrina.

[senior citizen]

Thanks to all for a clearer picture of what is happening and/or can happen overnight into tomorrow. Stay dry and out of the wind......most of all , stay safe.

[asianthree]

move your stuff into the garage just in case

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

The center of this storm is being predicted to pass over the middle of the Gulf of Mexico about 250 mile to the west of The Villages.
Television weathermen live for these kinds of storms. They love to report on them and IMHO they tend to exaggerate the impact for a lot of areas. This is not a very powerful storm as hurricanes go. They are predicting a CAT 2 at most.
Of course places like New Orleans may be impacted as it slams directly into the coast, but I don't see anything other than the Keys and southern Florida being affected much in our state.
A friend of mine today heard two different reports today. One said that we have a 40% chance of rain and the other had a 70% chance of rain. You could pretty much say that about any day in August in this part of Florida.
Still, these kind of storms are somewhat unpredictable so we are prepared. I pulled in the grill and wind chimes and we have regular hurricane supplies. I bought a weather radio yesterday and it woke me up at 5:30 this morning. I have to learn how to program that thing correctly.

[KayakerNC]

The center of this storm is being predicted to pass over the middle of the Gulf of Mexico about 250 mile to the west of The Villages.
Television weathermen live for these kinds of storms. They love to report on them and IMHO they tend to exaggerate the impact for a lot of areas. This is not a very powerful storm as hurricanes go. They are predicting a CAT 2 at most.

Ask the residents of Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda about predictions on how powerful a storm will be, and where it is headed.
Better to be hunkered down than surprised.:eek:

[cquick]

A state of emergency has just been declared in New Orleans. If Isaac continues on its projected path, it could arrive in NO on the anniversary of Katrina.

My younger son lived in New Orleans when Katrina hit. The forecasters had a hard time deciding where that one would hit. His apartment was on the ground floor near the racetrack. the mayor never made an evacuation order for that area until after the levy broke. By that time my son had left with just his computer, an airbed a suitcase of clothes and his important papers. By the time he was allowed back into the area, everything he owned was ruined...he just walked away from his job, and his apartment. It was devastating.

So, I say it's ok for the weatherpeople to be concerned. Better to be prepared.

[Barefoot]

I bought a weather radio yesterday and it woke me up at 5:30 this morning. I have to learn how to program that thing correctly.

The boys at your local Firehall will be pleased to program the weather radio for you.

[Shimpy]

The media love these storms. While living in S. Fla. channel 7 was renown for over stating everything. As soon as a storm moved off Africa they were alerting people that the threat it could imposed.
I guess they could be libel if they understated the potential threat so they over prepare people. The weather people have admitted that while they do a decent job of predicting the path of a storm they are extremely deficient predicting the intensity. Hurricane Andrew was predicted to be only a cat 1 and hit Ft. Lauderdale. It quickly intensified to a cat 5 and moved further south and hit S. Miami and Homestead with winds approaching 200 MPH. I remember staying up at night while the storm was hitting and hearing on the radio it blew their wind speed anemometer away.

[Skybo]

I bought a weather radio yesterday and it woke me up at 5:30 this morning. I have to learn how to program that thing correctly.

Mine went off at 5:30 this morning as well. I had mine programmed at the fire station, so I think yours is probably programmed correctly.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

The tropical storm watch for central Florida has been called off. The storm moved more to the west.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Mine went off at 5:30 this morning as well. I had mine programmed at the fire station, so I think yours is probably programmed correctly.

How exactly does this thing work? Will it go off every morning at 5:30 or was that supposed to be a warning that something was coming?

[linandvin]

beach just closed in St. Augustine. No sand left...just water and waves everywhere.

[BarryRX]

The weather channel just said that Isaac is going to be roaring up the west coast of florida. A few seconds later they said it was moving at 19mph. So I guess my golf cart "roars". I think they do tend to get a little "flowery" with their descriptions.

[momesu]

How exactly does this thing work? Will it go off every morning at 5:30 or was that supposed to be a warning that something was coming?

It was an alert that Sumter county was in the tropical storm watch area....duh...they didn't need to wake in up at 5:30am for that one. Never did get an alert on weather radio when Sumter County was upgraded to TS Warning.....I just don't get the point of these things when they don't give you the real warnings.
Suzanne

[Shimpy]

The weather channel just said that Isaac is going to be roaring up the west coast of florida. A few seconds later they said it was moving at 19mph. So I guess my golf cart "roars". I think they do tend to get a little "flowery" with their descriptions.

Actually a hurricane around Florida typically moves around 5 to 10 mph, some times slower or even stalling. Once it gets further north it moves faster until it gets up as far as Virginia, NY, etc then it is normal to move at 40 MPH. Getting a hurricane in NY is relative a short experience due to the storm hitting and moving on. I've seen storms in Fla that lasted the whole day.

[Skybo]

How exactly does this thing work? Will it go off every morning at 5:30 or was that supposed to be a warning that something was coming?

There is certain criteria that sets it off. I'm not sure what all it entails. This morning's alert was for the tropical storm watch. I was told at the fire dept that impending storms with winds in excess of 50 mph and storms with hail of a certain size would result in an alert. My main purpose for having one is to be alerted of a tornado, particularly at night.

[Down Sized]

Just wondering if anyone else felt that the Weather Channel, CNN , etc., etc. were slightly exaggerating the tropical storm / hurricane.

One minute we read the red banner online that it was a hurricane and then they changed it to a tropical storm........on t.v. they are saying how bad it is but nothing is actually falling or blowing in the background............it looks pretty quiet.

We've heard that Fort Myers Beach is being evacuated?

That all flights into and out of Miami are cancelled?

How is the weather in Lady Lake area????????


We realize that often they can change course or pick up steam over warm water.........but the news people seem to be blowing it out of proportion.
Thanks........

TV just answered your question.Tropical storm watch cancelled for central Fl.

[Happinow]

I must say that I am grateful that this storm did not cause us any damage or harm and that it has taken a Westerly path. My thoughts and concerns are with New Orleans and the Pan Handle. How much can they take?? We did take proper precautions so if the storm did hit with some force we would not have the danger of flying objects. Looks like we've dodged a bullet.

[Ragman]

For realistic information go to the NHC, Weather Underground, Central Florida Hurricane Center, or other professional site on the internet instead of listening to over -hyped TV shows trying to get their ratings up.

Be aware of where you live and the threats that are probable in your area.

[uujudy]

For realistic information go to the NHC, Weather Underground, Central Florida Hurricane Center, or other professional site on the internet instead of listening to over -hyped TV shows trying to get their ratings up.

Be aware of where you live and the threats that are probable in your area.

I'm not so sure it's all about ratings. I think the weather guys just love their jobs, and when they get some REAL weather they get excited. Think about how boring it must be to say, "High nineties with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms" day after day after day.... And then they finally get some real weather to talk about! Oh boy! Finally, a chance to put that meteorology degree to work! They seem so happy announcing potential disasters, don't they? :icon_wink:

[senior citizen]

The media love these storms. While living in S. Fla. channel 7 was renown for over stating everything. As soon as a storm moved off Africa they were alerting people that the threat it could imposed.
I guess they could be libel if they understated the potential threat so they over prepare people. The weather people have admitted that while they do a decent job of predicting the path of a storm they are extremely deficient predicting the intensity. Hurricane Andrew was predicted to be only a cat 1 and hit Ft. Lauderdale. It quickly intensified to a cat 5 and moved further south and hit S. Miami and Homestead with winds approaching 200 MPH. I remember staying up at night while the storm was hitting and hearing on the radio it blew their wind speed anemometer away.

I agree with all the posters who have been kind enough to answer my original post.........it is better to err on the side of caution; also that it is difficult for the weather people to predict exactly.

What you say is true....if they understated the "potential" danger, people would just ignore the warnings to prepare and / or evacuate.

We remember Andrew only because the couple who bought one of our Vermont homes had survived that storm. The roof totally blew off their home in the Miami area..........she was so traumatized she wanted to move as far north as she could........they bought our home, stayed for about ten years and then relocated back to the south to South Carolina.

I even recall the t.v. pics of the people standing in long lines waiting for bottled water under the hot blazing sun.............that's the only thing about living in Florida full time that scares me.........power outages in the heat of summer and no water to drink. We even stock up on water up here and hubby says that they all have enough TIME to fill up bottles from the tap if they can't afford to buy cases of bottled water. He said he would get a portable generator for the garage (to use in emergencies). However, with the lack of hurricanes in the recent past, we tend to forget what could happen.........

Everyone seems well prepared and staying on top of the weather situation..........but stay safe.

When we lived in Florida back in the early '70s there was a hurricane threat to the east coast.......and we both recall the water steadily rising in the canal in our back yard.......(it went out to the intracoastal waterway). We knew that if it got any higher, we'd have to evacuate with our two year old son and five year old daughter........but didn't have a clue about where that location would be.......... luckily, nothing happened.

Seven years ago we were in Colorado when the potential for Katrina striking New Orleans was discussed on t.v. one morning........our son felt they were exaggerating.......while my gut feeling thought it truly would happen..........and it did. A horrible horrible outcome to that storm......so I agree with everyone........better safe than sorry. It would now be the seven year anniversary. I can still recall some of those visions of people on the roofs, on the highways, all the damage.......and lives lost.....the people in hospitals and the brave medical staff who stayed with them.

Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself. Tomorrow is the anniversary of Vermont's "Irene" which wreaked havoc up here and in New York State.

[mulligan]

A generator can be a real handy thing in an extended power outage, but please be sure to plug appliances directly into the generator, or have a licensed professional wire a switchover device into the panel. Electricians/ linemen have been injured and killed by homeowner's generators backfeeding electricity into the outside power lines.

[Susan G]

Just now getting power back here in Plaquemines Parish, LA. (where Isaac and Katrina came ashore!) I can tell you first hand of this "minimal" hurricane. What they did not/could not factor in was the extremely low pressure. Power went out last Tuesday, rain and wind relentless for 2 1/2 days. It beat up the home of our Parish President (Billy Nungesser) that has 2 foot thick concrete walls and is built like a fortress adjacent to the Mississippi River. 12 to 14 ft. storm surge pushed up the River and surrounding bays/bayous and into the area. Seven days later, there is about 6 foot of marsh grass, canes, snakes and dead cows floating in that toxic soup.

I stayed as my employer (Home Depot) has to be back up and running as soon as winds die to provide supplies to repair homes. That will never happen again for a "minimal" hurricane. This will be one for the record books as I'm sure the forecasters will find a way to correctly factor in the pressure.

The new levees held, although there is some early speculation that water was funneled to other areas because of the construction. Corps of Engineers will be looking at all the possibilities.

In closing, as luck would have it, I had to take one more "spanking" from Hurricane Issac before my move to The Villages end of September. My home here was already sold and held up well...others were not so fortunate. In summary, I and other Louisiana residents now know there is NO SUCH THING AS A MINIMAL HURRICANE...especially if it stalls when coming ashore as Isaac did.

[senior citizen]

My younger son lived in New Orleans when Katrina hit. The forecasters had a hard time deciding where that one would hit. His apartment was on the ground floor near the racetrack. the mayor never made an evacuation order for that area until after the levy broke. By that time my son had left with just his computer, an airbed a suitcase of clothes and his important papers. By the time he was allowed back into the area, everything he owned was ruined...he just walked away from his job, and his apartment. It was devastating.

So, I say it's ok for the weatherpeople to be concerned. Better to be prepared.

I'm sure it was very traumatic for your son to have lived through Katrina, not to mention your worries for him.

We just saw a long documentary on Katrina and how it impacted the lives of so many in New Orleans.........

Very frightening, to say the least.

So much devastation and loss, for your son and others. Seeing it all again really brought it home. Just imagining what all the stranded folks went through.

Something in the "chain of command" went wrong.......that's for sure.

We were returning east from a road trip to Colorado while KATRINA was wreaking havoc......and the gasoline prices kept rising to the point that folks along the way were concerned there would be no gasoline.

That would have been the least of people's worries compared to what the residents of New Orleans went through...........plus the other states in Katrina's path.

Thanks to all who shared their viewpoints on whether or not the weather channel, meteorologists, etc. exaggerate.
Again, this time around, it was devasting to a different parish in LA. So, they have to err for the safety of the majority. One never knows.

[senior citizen]

Just now getting power back here in Plaquemines Parish, LA. (where Isaac and Katrina came ashore!) I can tell you first hand of this "minimal" hurricane. What they did not/could not factor in was the extremely low pressure. Power went out last Tuesday, rain and wind relentless for 2 1/2 days. It beat up the home of our Parish President (Billy Nungesser) that has 2 foot thick concrete walls and is built like a fortress adjacent to the Mississippi River. 12 to 14 ft. storm surge pushed up the River and surrounding bays/bayous and into the area. Seven days later, there is about 6 foot of marsh grass, canes, snakes and dead cows floating in that toxic soup.

I stayed as my employer (Home Depot) has to be back up and running as soon as winds die to provide supplies to repair homes. That will never happen again for a "minimal" hurricane. This will be one for the record books as I'm sure the forecasters will find a way to correctly factor in the pressure.

The new levees held, although there is some early speculation that water was funneled to other areas because of the construction. Corps of Engineers will be looking at all the possibilities.

In closing, as luck would have it, I had to take one more "spanking" from Hurricane Issac before my move to The Villages end of September. My home here was already sold and held up well...others were not so fortunate. In summary, I and other Louisiana residents now know there is NO SUCH THING AS A MINIMAL HURRICANE...especially if it stalls when coming ashore as Isaac did.

We did see the devastation to Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana on the news....and read about the low barometric pressure.......etc. Horrific damage.

Glad you are safe, as well as your home. You are correct as far as there being no such thing as a minimal hurricane.......as seen earlier this summer on the Gulf Coast of Florida...........whether it was a tropical storm or not.

The Tropical Storm "Irene" that hit Vermont and Schoharie County, New York plus the Berkshires of Massachusetts last August 28,2011 did what only Mother Nature on a rampage could do.....destroyed roads, bridges, you name it. Destruction beyond belief. Little Vermont never makes the news, but it did last August.

I just bought great "picture" books with personal human interest stories on amazon....that brought back those memories of what damage WATER and flooding can do.

"GOOD NIGHT IRENE" Stories and Photos about the tropical storm that devastated Vermont, the Catskills and the Berkshires......awesome pics.

"THE WRATH OF IRENE" Vermont's Imperfect Storm of 2011.....ditto.

I bought extras for "stocking stuffers" for our kids......although they certainly won't fit into stockings.........but a great pictorial history of what the POWER OF WATER / FLOODING / TROPICAL STORMS can do to mountain towns and small villages in Vermont, New York and Massachusetts. There were barns and homes rolling down rivers, cows, horses, you name it..........people lost so much.

Driving up and down our state this spring and summer.........saw the damage that was done........houses still "tilted over", bridges that were washed out being rebuilt.
Talk about "sink holes" in TV.........our roads had HUGE cracks and holes.......where the roads were just MISSING..........that rivaled any sink hole in TV.

When it was happening, people in the MIDDLE OF THE STATE.........the spine of the Green Mountains.....were totally "cut off" from going either east or west.
Since most of their jobs were either east or west........you can imagine. They ended up WALKING down the mountain or using all terrain vehicles to get "out and about" via the woods........it was definitely something else to see the damage up close and personal...........our town had flooding near the rivers, but we were up high and dry, thankfully.

The power of rushing water is fierce. The wind was not a problem.

AGAIN, GLAD YOU ARE SAFE !!!!!!!!